EU vows to reinforce ties with Brazil

European officials on Monday vowed to reinforce EU-Brazil ties and bring their "ambitious" agenda of cooperation forward. "Brazil is an important economy and political partner for Europe. As strategic partners, we two share democratic values and enjoy close ties," European Council President Herman Van Rompuy told a press conference after the 7th EU-Brazil summit held here Monday. The summit, attended by Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, focused on accelerating growth, job creation, climate change and cyber security. "We can demonstrate that Europe and Brazil are not only good in football, but in tackling global challenges and opportunities, such as climate change and the post-2015 agenda," Van Rompuy said in a statement. The EU-Brazil strategic partnership was established in 2007, in recognition of both sides' political and economic importance.